Non-slip or protective appliance for the hoofs of animals.



G-. N. KINNELL. NoN-SL11 on PROTBGTIVBAPPLIANGB PoR THB Roofs or ANIMALS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 6. 1909.

1,010,382. Patented 111011.28, 1911.

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GEORGE N. KINNELL, OF PITTSFIEIID, MASSACI-IU'SETTS.y

NON-SI-IPOR PROTECTIVE APPLIANCE FOR TI-IE I-IOOES OF ANIMALS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 28, 1911.

Application filed March 6, 1909. Serial No. 481,831.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE N. KINNE'LL, a citizen of the United States, and a ,resident of Pittsfield, in the count-y of Berlshire' andV State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Non-Slip or Protective Appliances for the Hoofs of Animals, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to overshoes having a tread portionadapted to serve the purpose of callrs to prevent slipping. Such overshoes may comprise means, suchas a toe member, for securingthe device against downward and rearward displacement in connection with a member extending across the heel, adapted to prevent forward displacement, and my present invention concerns means for securely holding` this last mentioned member in place. The securing` means should'be such as to prevent the rearwardly extending heel member from slipping up over the heel on to the sensitive tissue, or down out of engagement with the foot, or forwardly between the shoe and the hoof.

In my prior application Serial No. 460,336, I have shown an overshoe consisting of interconnected diagonal strands or articulations adapted to serve as calks and suspendn ed by a spreader and vequalizing'f lever on each side of the foot, subject to upward and forward tension through a heel member seated in the notches under the heels of the hoof and above the rearwardly projecting ends of the metallic shoe. The heel member may be of fine quality steel wire or. chain,

but I prefer heavy baling wire which does not stretch and is not very resilient, yet is flexible enough so that lin use it fits itself to the surface upon which it bears and becomes bent or set so that there is practically no tendencyfor it to spring out of position. Various other novel. features and functions of said overshoe are explained in said application.

My present invention isv shown in connection with such an overshoe, though it is applicable to any overshoe having arearwardly extending tension member.' It is particularly useful where the heels of the hoof are too low or too flat to prevent the heel member from slipping upward or where the rear ends of the metallic shoe do not project sufficiently to prevent the heel member from slipping downward, or where the rear endk of the shoe is flexible or otherwise insecure so that theheel member is'likely to work lforward between the shoe and the hoof.

In my application Serial No; 463,532, I have shown a special recess and metallic bearing surface for the heel member, which is adapted to be used in s uch relations and for such purposes. In said application, the rear covering of 'the hoof consisted of an elastic heel block, which is somewhat iexible so that the notches between' it and the heel of the hoof would not, prevent an overshoe heel member from working forward under the hoof, and the drawing of said application shows the special grooved recess or bearing surface for the heel member as formed in a supplemental plate adapted torbe se curely held between the shoe and the hoof.

My present invention is shown herein as applied to the same kind of short metallic shoe with elastic heel block, as is shown in said application Serial No. 463,532. It contemplates a modified arrangement whereby the grooves or engaging surfaces for the heel member of the overshoe are formed by or secured to the rear of the shoe (the'rear portion kof the shoe in the application of my invention shown, lconsisting of an elastic heel block), instead of being formed in a removable plate adapted to slide in between the shoe and the hoof. y

The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of the pad and shoe, with my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showingthe pad and shoe in place on the hoof. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the pad with a modified form of metallic thrust surface for the heel member. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4.-4 of Fig. 3.

The overshoe comprises the diagonally arranged chains 3, 3, 4, 4, interconnected by a common link at 5 and held in place by securing means consist-ing of spreader and equalizing levers 7, 7,'oneon each side of the foot, each subjectV to upward and forward tension through strapv 9, secured by buckle 11 and subject to rearward tension through a heel member 6. e

The hoof 1 is provided with a metallic half shoe 2, which extends partV of the distance from the toe toward the heel and is utilized to hold in place an elastic heel pad or block 14, preferably of rubber, which completes the shoe and is formed with a forwardly extending portion 15 and is reinforced by a back 16 of tough material, such as leather or metal.

The elastic pad and packing are too flexible to prevent the heel member 6 from working forward between the hoof and the pad, and this is one of the cases where my special securing means for the heel member is useful.

A simple method of providing a groove and bearing surface for the heel member is that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, wherein grooves 24, 24, are cut in the material of the elastic block 14. The grooves are preferably provided with metallic bearing surfaces adapted to prevent cutting of the yielding material of the block 14 by the heel member G. Such surfaces may be afforded by suitably disposed nails, tacks, or rivets, such as shown at 25.

An ordinary nail driven down through the corner of the elastic pad, so as to intersect the groove near the bottom thereof, may be used for this purpose, but I prefer a special form of nail with a large flat head 26. It is driven into the rubber heel block from the upper side and is of such length that the point 27 terminates below the groove, but above the lower surface of the elastic block 14. The enlarged head preferably bears against the stiifening member 16, which is preferably secured in place over said head by stitching, as at 28. The head extends a considerable distance on the side of the shank in the direction of pull of the heel member and serves as a brace to prevent displacement of said shank.

In Figs. 3 and 4, the grooves are cut in the material of the elastic block as described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2, but a special bearing surface is provided by a V-shaped plate 30, secured between the pad and the stiflening plate 16, as by rivets 39, 39, (Fig. 4). This plate is preferably of sheet steel and the outer ends thereof are bent as at 35 to form extended metallic bearing surfaces for the heel member 6. It may be and preferably is molded or cast in the body of the rubber block 14. The free ends of the plate may be reversely bent and extended forwardly into the body of the rubber. The bent portion should terminate a considerable distance above the bottom of the elastic block 14, so as to allow for wear without exposure to contact with the ground. The plate serves to stiften the rear portion of the pad plate and also the corner of the block 14.

It will be noted that there is a true combination and interdependence of function when my overshoe is used in connection with the liexible heel pad, insom'uch as the overshoe is particularly useful in cases where there is snow and ice likely to crowd in between the hoof and the iiexible pad and thereby wedge the pad away from the hoof. At such times and at all other times when in use, the overshoe serves as an additional securing means to prevent the Aflexible portion of the pad from springing away from the hoof. At the same time it will be noted that the pad is relatively stiff against forward thrust in the plane of the tread so long as it is not flexed downward from said plane. Hence, when the overshoe holds it against downward iexure, the pad itself, in turn, furnishes an adequate bearing to resist forward thrust of the heel member of the overshoe.

While I have herein fully shown and described, and have pointed out in the appended claims certain novel features of construction, arrangement, and operation which characterize my invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the forms, proportions, sizes, and details of the device and of its operation, may be made without'departing from my invention.

I claim:

1. In a foot appliance of the class described, a hoof protecting device cr shoe secured beneath the tread of the hoof, and an overshoe comprising a tread portion and securing means therefor extending about the walls of the hoof and across the heels, in combination with retaining means on the heel portion of said hoof protecting device or slice and arranged to afford a bearing` surface for the heel portion of said securing means.

2. Ina foot appliance of the class described, a tread protecting device or shoe secured beneath the tread of the hoof and formed or provided at the heel with a grooved seat adapted to preserve its character in use, and a band element extending about the wall of the hoof and supported in normal position by said grooved seat.

3. In a foot appliance of the class described, a member or shoe arranged beneath the tread of the hoof and secured thereto, in combination with an overshoe having a band element disposed about the wall of the hoof and held against upward, downward, or forward displacement by said first mentioned member.

4. In a foot appliance of the class described, a member or shoe arranged beneath the tread of the hoof and secured thereto, in combination with an overshoe having a tread portion and securing means therefor comprising a toe member and a heel member, the latter being held in position independently of the heels of the hoof by engagemen-twith said first mentioned member.

5. In a foot appliance of the class described, a member or shoe arranged beneath the tread of the hoof and secured thereto, in combination with an overshoe having a band element disposed about the wall of the hoof, said first mentioned member being provided with seats below and in the rear of the hoof for the auxiliary support of the overshoe.

6. In a .foot appliance of the class described, an overshoe having a tension member disposed about the base of the heels, in combination with a shoe secured to the hoof and engaging said tension member of the overshoe so as to provide an auxiliary' support therefor independently of the hoof.

7. In a foot appliance of the class described, means for protecting the tread of the hoof comprising a pad and elastic heel block secured to the hoof by a short metallic toe shoe and nails driven through the latter into the hoof, said elastic heel block being provided with bearing surfaces or seats, in combination with an overshoe having a heel member extending rearwardly free of the heels of the hoof and engaging said bearing surfaces.

8. In a foot appliance of the class described, means for protecting the tread of the hoof comprising a pad and elastic heel block secured to the hoof by a short metallic toe shoe and nails driven through the latter into the hoof, said elastic heel block being provided with bearing surfaces or seats, in combination with an overshoe having a heel member extending rearwardly free of the heels of the hoof and engaging said bearing surface, and having a tread member engaging the under surface of said elastic heel block.

9. In a foot appliance of the class described, a heel member of the overshoe and, a protective member or shoe fastened to the hoof and provided with grooves or seats in the heel portion thereof, formed and arranged to preserve their character during use and to hold the heel member in normal position out of contact with the heels of the hoof, each groove or seat having a bottom or thrust-receiving region and two side or disengagement-preventing regions.

10. In a foot appliance of the class described, an elastic heel block having grooves provided in the rear thereof and constituting seats under working conditions, and a band element extending about the hoof and co-acting with said seats.

11. In a foot appliance of the class described, an elasticheel block with grooves cut in the elastic material, in combinationvwith a stifening member having an extended bearing surface on the top of said elastic heel block and extending downwardly transversely of the groove, adjacent the base thereof.

12. In a foot appliance of the class described, a pad comprising an elastic heel block and a tough back therefor, said heel block having a groove formed in the rear face thereof and a reinforce for the bottom of said groove, comprising a portion having a broad bearing` face between the elastic heel blockand the flexible backing and a downwardly extended portion intersecting the said groove.

13. In a foot appliance of the class described, a pad comprising an elastic heel block and a tough back therefor, said heel block having a groove kformed in the rear face thereof and a reinforce for the bottom of said groove, comprising a portion having a broad bearing face between the elastic heel block and the flexible back and a downwardly extended portion forming a bearing face for the bottom of said groove.

14. In a foot appliance of the class described, a pad comprising an elastic heel block and a tough backing therefor, in combination with a V-shaped sheet metal reinforce extending from near the central portion of the pad outward to the corners of the heel portion thereof and downwardly around the sides and bottoms of said groove.

15. In a foot appliance of the class described, a pad comprising an elastic heel block and a tough backing therefor, in combination with a V-shaped sheet metal reinforce secured between the pad and backing, extending from near the central portion of said pad diagonally toward the corners and formed adjacent said corners with reversely bent portions forming metallic grooves.

16. Ina foot appliance of the class described, means for protecting the tread of the hoof comprising an elastic heel block secured to the hoof by a short metallic shoe and nails driven through the latter into the hoof; and bearing surfaces in the rear of said elastic heel block, in combination with an overshoe having a heel member extending rearwardly and engaging said bearing surfaces.

17. In a foot appliance of the class described, means for protecting the tread of the hoof comprising an elastic heel block secured to the hoof by a short metallic shoe and nails driven through the latter into the hoof; and bearing surfaces or seats in the rear of said elastic heel block and below and in the rear of the heels of the hoof, in combination with an overshoe having a heel member extending rearwardly and engaging said bearing surfaces.

18. In a foot appliance of the class described, means for protecting the tread of the hoof comprising an elastic heel block secured to the hoof by a short metallic shoe and nails driven through the latter into the hoof; and bearing surfaces or seats in the rear of said elastic heel block, in combination with an overshoe having a substantially nonresilient, flexible heel member Aextending rearwardly and engaging said bearing surfaces.

19. In a foot appliance of the class de scribed, means for protecting the tread of the hoof comprising an elastic heel block secured to the hoof by a short metallic shoe and nails driven through the latter into the hoof; and grooved recesses in the rear of said elastic heel block, in combination with an overshoe having a heel member extending rearwardly and engaging said grooved recesses.

20. In a foot appliance of the class described, an elastic heel block having grooves formed in the rear face thereof, the bottom bearing surface of said heel block extending materially beyond the bottoms of the grooves so that said grooves remain open in use, and a band element extending about the wall of the hoof and supported in normal position by said grooves.

2l. In a foot appliance of the class described, an velastic heel block having grooves formed in the rear face thereof and metallic members affording bearing surfaces at the bottoms of said grooves, and a band element extending about the wall of the hoof, seated' in said groove and co-acting with said bearing surfaces.

22. In a foot appliance of the class described, an elastic heel block provided at the rear thereof with metallic grooved surfaces and a member of an overshoe cooperating with said metallic grooved surfaces.

23. In a foot appliance of the class described, a protective tread member or shoe fastened at the sides of the foot near the toe, extending rearwardly beyond the heels and provided at-the rear of the heels with metallic grooved or recessed bearing surfaces adapted to form seat-s for the heel portion of an overshoe.

Signed at New York city in the county of New York and State of New York this third day of March A. D. 1909.

` GEORGE N. KINNELL.

Witnesses:

GEORGE C. DEAN, IRvING M. OBRIEGHT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. l 

